Patriots linebacker Matt Judon is pushing back against a report that he will refuse to play if the Patriots don’t give him a new contract.
“Before yall get on my ass I didn’t say that. At all don’t let them make me the villain,” Judon wrote on social media.
According to Boston.com, Judon was refuting a report from longtime Patriots reporter Greg Bedard, who said on his podcast that Judon “is not going to play under his current contract.”
Judon skipped most of the Patriots’ voluntary offseason work but attended mandatory minicamp and indicated he’s willing to do what’s asked of him even if he doesn’t like his current contract.
“I’m just gonna get ready to play,” Judon said last month.
Patriots veterans are due at training camp on July 23, and Judon’s public comments have indicated that he’ll be there. Whether he’s willing to practice without a new contract, however, is a separate question. Judon has a $6.5 million base salary for 2024, and if he plays that out he’ll hit free agency in March of 2025.